Malaysia should open talks with Disney Cruise Line to turn Langkawi or Penang into a departure and arrival hub for its Disney Adventure cruise ship, the Dewan Rakyat was told.
Puchong MP Yeo Bee Yin said the country should aim for more than a port of call, which would let international tourists start or end a cruise at either destination and spend several days in Malaysia, NST reported.
“I propose that the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry begin strategic negotiations with Disney Cruise Line to explore the possibility of making Langkawi or Penang an official embarkation and disembarkation port,” she said when debating the 2027 Budget.
The Disney Adventure is based in Singapore and is due to make its first Langkawi stop on a four-night sailing that departs 31 December. Guests may go ashore at the island but may not board or leave the ship there, Malay Mail noted, and every sailing still starts and ends in Singapore.
The difference matters for the island. A port of call brings a ship alongside for a few hours, while an embarkation port is where a voyage begins and ends, so passengers arrive before the sailing and leave days after it. Yeo said that extra time is what Langkawi and Penang should be trying to keep.
“Imagine the economic spillover. Tourists who begin or end their cruises in Langkawi could spend several days there before or after their voyage,” she said.
She put figures on the idea. The ship carries between 6,000 and 6,700 passengers and could make 25 to 30 visits a year, which she estimated would bring 150,000 to 200,000 passenger movements to Langkawi. Spending of RM250 to RM400 a person would work out to RM35 million to RM80 million in direct spending on the island each year.
The Langkawi Development Authority has said it will work closely with tourism partners to make sure guests enjoy the visit, and the island’s UNESCO Global Geopark status is among what it will offer day visitors.
“However, the main question is whether these tourists will come ashore and spend money, or simply remain on board,” she said. She flagged lengthy immigration queues and heavy traffic congestion as reasons passengers might stay aboard, and said immigration officers have a central role in moving arrivals through quickly.
She also called for international airports to be upgraded to handle rising tourist demand, and urged the ministry to pursue the arrangement with Disney Cruise Line.
